This course will explore many aspects of effective materials development, from key principles to practicalities. By the end of the course, you will have gained experience in evaluating materials for a particular context, adapting them for a specific target group, and producing and receiving feedback on your own materials. In addition to exploring findings from second language acquisition, ensuring appropriate levels of challenge, and learning to select and exploit texts, practical matters such as writing teacher’s notes, visual design, and using web tools are also addressed.

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" Really good, motivating and useful for my teaching. Thank you very much NILE people! "

Blanca

Is this course for you?

 
Location: Norwich
 
Experience:
Teachers of English at all levels. Other subject teachers welcome
 
Language Level: Minimum level B2/C1
 
Course dates: 
18 - 29 August
 
Certification:
NILE Certificate
Option for Trinity CertPT
 
Course Length: 2 weeks
 
Course fees:
Registration fee: £150
Course fee: £1195
Trinity CertPT qualification (optional): £325
 
Accommodation (2 weeks):
Homestay (half-board): £560
Residential (half-board): £672
Residential (self-catering): £560
More information
 
Minimum age: 18
 
Max class size: 16
 
 
Cross-curricular and cultural workshops
 
Specialist ELT library
 
Complementary eLearning platform

Course content

 
Principles of materials development
 
How language teaching materials are used
 
Materials for specific contexts and cultures
 
Implications of second language acquisition research
 
Principled evaluation of materials
 
Principles and practice of materials adaptation
 
Affect, motivation and engagement in materials
 
Understanding and adjusting levels of challenge
 
Materials for teaching grammar and vocabulary
 
Materials for developing the four skills
 
Design, layout and illustration
 
Writing instructions and teacher’s notes

This course develops critical awareness of the theories of language acquisition and pedagogy applicable to materials development. You will look at different aspects of language learning materials, formulate and apply criteria for the evaluation and adaptation of them, and work both independently and in a team to produce different types of materials.

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" I gained a lot of new ideas - more up to date teaching such as padlet, using video and resources so I have plenty to take away with me. "

Petra

" A great atmosphere at NILE and effort made in order to make everybody happy. "

Dolores

Timetable

This course consists of 50 hours of tuition, delivered between 09:00 and 15:30, Monday - Friday. You will also take part in cross-curricular workshops on a variety of topics, and each course includes a free evening and weekend programme of social and cultural activities and trips.

Sample Timetable

Further Information

Specific course content comes from feedback you and other participants give us through pre-course questionnaires, identifying your needs and priorities.

Time will be built into the course for reflection and for you to consider how to adapt ideas from the course to your classroom in your own professional contexts.

NILE offers various accommodation options, including homestay with carefully selected hosts and residential accommodation at the University of East Anglia. NILE’s dedicated student welfare team can be reached 24 hours a day.

All NILE courses involve a significant element of English language improvement and/or the development of language awareness.

Course Leader

Dr Jason Skeet Jason’s work as a consultant and trainer for NILE focuses on CLIL and EME (English Medium Education). He has worked on a range of NILE projects in various countries, including Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Brazil. He also provides training in formative assessment and educational materials design. Recent work for NILE includes the British Council/NILE EME capacity building project in Uzbekistan. Between 2018 and 2023 he was the MAPDLE Programme Leader and remains a tutor on the programme.

Previously Jason worked at Utrecht University providing advice and training for bilingual schools throughout The Netherlands. He has also taught on the university's UTEACH Master's Programme for bilingual and international school teachers. Before that he worked for seven years as a teacher at a Dutch bilingual secondary school.


Available dates:

Course dates Location Course length
18 August - 29 August 2025 Norwich 2 weeks
18 August - 29 August 2025 with Trinity CertPT Norwich 2 weeks